The present invention generally relates to a device for the vertical adjustment of an upper safety belt fitting of a motor vehicle, and more particularly to such a device including a guide rail fixable to a vehicle body, an anchoring element which is received displaceably by the guide rail and a catch arrangement including several deflectable pawls spaced from one another in a longitudinal direction of the guide rail, a first catch element interacting with these several deflectable pawls, assigned to the anchoring element and formed on a lever shaped and spring loaded release element pivotable counter to a spring force for the deflection of the pawls, and a second catch element which is constructed on the anchoring element and which is supported on a particular pawl, after a backward pivoting of the release element and a downward movement of the anchoring element.
A vertical adjustment of this type is the subject of German Published, Unexamined Patent Application No. 3,733,026 and is intended to ensure that a controlled shift from catch to catch takes place during an adjusting movement directed downwards. Since, during this movement cycle, a panel covering the belt exit orifice in an associated trim component is also moved along and certain difficulties of movement sometimes occur because of tolerances associated with this, it sometimes happens that passengers not familiar with the functioning of the mechanism are unable to move the safety belt fitting downwards more than one notch. The reason for this is that, after the first catch element has run up against the end face of the associated pawl and a button acting on the release element has been released, although the release element pivots backwards and the supporting effect is cancelled, nevertheless it is not possible to bring about a further downward movement via the button because, when the button is depressed again, the release element is pivoted out of the preceding position once more and a new supporting effect at the first catch element therefore takes place.
A downward movement is, however, a precondition for ensuring that the first catch element travels downwards a certain amount from the end face of the associated pawl, so that when the button is depressed again the pawl is moved aside, with the result that the second catch element can also be moved past. For users familiar with the mechanics of the mechanism, it would be possible in the case of a supporting effect which cannot be cancelled to bring about a downward movement as far as the run up of the second catch element by pressing the panel downwards, with the button released. However, such a procedure is unacceptable.
An object of the invention is to provide improved operating reliability of an adjusting device of a seat belt, so that, even when a high adjustment resistance occurs, untrained users too are able to select specific heights in a controlled way during a downward movement.
This and other objects are achieved by advantageous embodiments of the present invention since it is ensured that, when a button is released and a supporting effect cancelled, a slight downward movement of a release element takes place. Further, when the button is depressed once more and the release element is consequently pivoted inwards, the associated catch is pressed away by the latter, thereby making a further downward movement possible.
A further functional improvement is obtained according to advantageous embodiments if, as the release element is pivoted inwards, a longitudinal mid-axis of a slot of a pivot bearing of the release element is in a position rotated approximately 45.degree. out of the vertical in the clockwise direction, and if, in this position, a force exerted by a spring of the release element is transmitted in the direction of the longitudinal mid-axis of the slot.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings